The Enemy Of Fear! Pt 1

One of the memories I have is when I was 3 years old. My 6-year-old brother loved mayonnaise. He would eat mayonnaise sandwiches. One day, he snuck into the cabinet and got an unopened 16oz mayonnaise jar. He secured a spoon and told me he was going to eat the whole jar! He did. That night was vomit night! From that point on if he even saw a picture of mayonnaise, he would get sick!

What I just described is the foundation for hating mayonnaise! The enemy of fear is Faith…but what is the foundation of faith? Faith has a foundation, it is only as solid as the object that you place your faith in.

There are theories of what happens to us at death:

The body dies and disintegrates while the soul sleeps.

Total annihilation.

Reincarnation. The body dies but the soul is recycled from one form to another.

In all these views, human personhood and individuality are forever lost.

Christianity believes in the resurrection of the body and soul. The person remains!

But there are some, like in Corinth, who preach that there is no resurrection.

1 Cor. 15:12 Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead

To correct their error, Paul wrote the longest chapter in 1 Corinthians.

If there were no resurrection, what are the implications?

1st implication if there is no resurrection of the dead?

V. 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised.

Christ was not Messiah and is dead

2^nd implication.

V. 14 and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain

All the messages you have heard about Christ are useless and your faith is a waste of time. Why?

V. 17 and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. 

What’s the point? Only this:

If Christ never rose from the dead, sin killed him…Christ never conquered death! If Christ could not conquer death then we are all in trouble because death will kill us also! We will damned to hell!

If we take away the resurrection, Christianity becomes just another useless human philosophy – not only useless but dangerous – following a man that was crazy – Jesus claimed to be God!!

However, we are not stuck there! Tomorrow we will look at three more implications and the evidence of the resurrection! Jesus is not dead, He is alive and promises us that same resurrection!

The So What: It is important how you look at things. No one is beyond this virus, but anyone can possess eternal life in Christ! Consider this true story: Robert De Vincenzo was a golfer that won a tournament. A woman approached him and told of her baby that was sick. She had no hope because she had no money. He signs over his winning check to her! Later an official tells him it was a scam. "There is no baby who is dying without hope,” he states. Vincenzo’s response: "That's the best news I've heard all week!”

No matter what you encounter it cannot take away what Christ has given you!

The door to Fear

"So far as is known, no bird ever tried to build more nests than its neighbor; no fox ever fretted because he had only one hole in which to hide; no squirrel ever died of anxiety lest he should not lay by enough nuts for two winters instead of one, and no dog ever lost any sleep over the fact that he did not have enough bones laid aside for his declining years.”

Luke 12:23–31

Jesus warns us to not allow worry (anxiety) to control us. Food, clothing, shelter, etc. are all legitimate concerns, but to move to anxiety will not help and most likely hurt. Many read this passage but miss the end:

“For all these things the nations of the world eagerly seek, but your Father knows that you need these things. But seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you.”

God knows our needs and desires to meet them, yet, He also knows what is most important! Spiritual health produces all the other health.

Fear of the Lord is good; fear of sickness is also healthy. If balanced, it will lead to wise decisions. However, worry (Anxiety) is the doorway to fear! Anxiety exposes a lack of Trust in the Lord. If allowed to take root it will create an unhealthy Fear!

"Someone has said, 'Worry is a thin stream of fear that trickles through the mind, which, if encouraged, will cut a channel so wide that all other thoughts will be drained out.'"    

 Dr. W.C. Alvarez, the stomach specialist at the Mayo Clinic said: 80 percent of the stomach disorders that come to us are not organic, but functional. Wrong mental and spiritual attitudes throw functional disturbances into digestion. Most of our ills are caused by worry and fear, and it is my experience that faith is more important than food in the cure of stomach ulcers."

Scripture gives us the formula of how to approach our problems:

Philippians 4:6–7 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus

Anxious means: To be divided or distracted. It comes down to Trusting God or Trusting Circumstances.

Consider our verse: “Nothing”, that means ZERO, not almost ZERO!

“Prayer” is a dialogue, not a monologue, having a conversation with the Lord using His Word.

“Supplication” these are urgent needs; fervent.

“Thanksgiving” not only for what God is going to do but for the situation that He allowed! This shows our trust (faith) in Him.

Why do we get anxious?

1. We do not believe God is really in control.

2. We believe the enemy’s lie…God is mean

Psalm 103:8–10 The Lord is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He will not constantly accuse us, nor remain angry forever. He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve.

3. We do not accept the Truth of Romans 8:28. “Everything” is brought together by God to work for the ultimate good.

What’s the outcome: Peace

Not - some feeling or emotion, but a sense of Calm; A Confidence that He will lead you;

An understanding that He will use everything in the end for Good!

The so what: We all have moments of anxiety, that’s part of being human. However, we need not have Days of it! Which one is in Charge of your day; Anxiety Or Peace?

What can I do when things feel so out of control? Part 3

Henry J. Ellsworth, the commissioner of the U.S. Patent office, assured people that his resignation was really of no great concern. “Mankind,” he declared, “has already achieved all of which it is capable. There would be no more inventions requiring patents.” The year was 1844— before the steamboat, the telegraph cable under the ocean, the electric light, the telephone, and a host of other inventions that came along during the next half-century.^[1]

Throughout history, humans have consistently declared that certain things were impossible. The reason this happens is that as finite beings our vision can be quite limited. If it cannot fit into our brain we surrender to the idea that it must be impossible! God does not suffer from this dilemma. He is infinite and His vision sees all. So much so that when describing what eternity will be like Paul shares how God describes it in His Scriptures:

1 Corinthians 2:9 But just as it is written, “Things that no eye has seen, or ear heard, or mind imagined, are the things God has prepared for those who love him.”

As we look at the third Truth concerning God’s sovereignty let’s remember our first two:

{1} Something’s are non-negotiable

This will give us comfort because we are not at the mercy of circumstances. God has ultimate control.

{2} God’s sovereignty is all-encompassing! 

This brings stability. There are no accidents! Everything that happens is either the direct will of God or the permissive will of God. If God does not allow it, it cannot happen.

We are looking at Jonah. I chose him because he is so much like all of us; a self-willed sinner that wants his way. So if God’s sovereignty applies to Jonah, we should realize it will also apply to us.

We find Jonah out in the middle of the ocean in a storm…how can he go to Nineveh now? Impossible, right?

Jonah 1:17 But the Lord provided a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights.

Jonah 2:10 And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.

{3} God’s sovereignty makes anything possible!

The last thought on Jonah’s mind was that Someone was sending him a new travel agent! The reason the world mocks this story is that this reality does not compute with a finite brain. However, for those that know God and understand His history, this is a Truth that brings Hope! Whenever we face impossible situations we need to bring to the front of our thoughts…Jonah…delivered from death and shown mercy by a sovereign God. Joseph…a slave imprisoned raised to second in command in the most powerful empire at that time. The red sea that was opened to allow Israel to escape her enemies and then was closed to swallow those enemies into eternity! Gideon and 300 men rushing into the camp of their enemy, which were as “numerous as locust” while holding a torch in one hand and a trumpet in the other hand. They defeated their enemy with their swords hanging on their belts!

The So What: Do not fear this virus, fear the One that controls it! Go to the Lord and ask for protection, be wise, wash your hands and then fold them and pray!

---

^[1] Tan, P. L. (1996). Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations: Signs of the Times (p. 1096). Garland, TX: Bible Communications, Inc.

What can I do when things feel so out of control? Part 2

How different life is right now compared to just several weeks ago! That is how fast life can change! All of this validates what a wise man wrote years ago:

James 4:13–15 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into this or that town and spend a year there and do business and make a profit.” You do not know about tomorrow. What is your life like? For you are a puff of smoke that appears for a short time and then vanishes. You ought to say instead, “If the Lord is willing, then we will live and do this or that.”

Consider who this man was, the half brother of Jesus Christ, who grew up with Him and even mocked Him at one point! How much he changed when His risen Lord appeared to him!

We are looking at how only God is powerful enough to protect us in times like this. Yes, we use common sense and medical help, still, we depend on the only One that controls all! We saw that in God’s sovereignty our first Truth:

{1} Something’s are non-negotiable

That should bring us comfort. God knows how many days we have on this earth and nothing…not even a virus can cut that short!

As our example for the other two Truths, we should consider Jonah. The man who thought he could run from God. He was told to go to Nineveh but tried to go the other direction. When he was on his way in a nice safe ship, God made His point with Jonah!

{2} God’s sovereignty is all-encompassing!

In every situation, He is there. The sea became so rough that the ship was going to sink. Jonah finally confessed, and the sailors took action.

Jonah 1:7 Then the sailors said to each other, "Come, let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity." They cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah.

However, even in this God was there! God’s control allowed a part of the sea to calm…for the ship…while Jonah experienced a rough ride!

Jonah 1:15  Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm.

Jonah 2:3  You hurled me into the deep, into the very heart of the seas, and the currents swirled about me; all your waves and breakers swept over me.

No matter where Jonah was God was there! His sovereignty covers anything and everything. Paul understood this!

Ephes. 3:1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles--

2 Tim. 1:8 So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God,

Philemon 1:1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,

Paul did not consider himself a prisoner of Rome, but a prisoner of Christ!

Understanding this produces Stability. No matter how life or circumstances change, our God remains the same!

The So What: How different do you see life right now? Much has changed, has God? Are you experiencing much anxiety, or do you have calm because you do know that God is with you and is the same as He was before this virus hit?

I will look at the third point tomorrow. God Bless, and stay safe.  

What can I do when things feel so out of control?

As we enter into another era of uncertainty – I thought it would be good to deal with the question of “What can I do when things feel so out of control.” I am going to share my thoughts in two devotions, the second I will                                                         post tomorrow.

The issue is our focus – nothing we do can change most of what is going on – but how we deal with it – is under our control

Consider:

I can control my attitude.  I can't control everyone's actions.

I can control today's calendar.  I can't control today's circumstances.

I can control my focus.  I can't control life's forecast.

During times like this, we need to remember that we have an almighty God that is Sovereign

* Interesting: Science tries to date the earth. Instead of getting mad it ought to thrill us. The dates are based on how long it would take the earth naturally to be the way it is, billions of years. Our God is so Almighty it took Him only 6 days!

The power of our Creator is beyond our comprehension.

* A strong earthquake has the same power as 1000 H Bombs!

* More energy than man has used since the beginning is put out by the sun in a second!

* A hurricane generates more power in 10 sec than the USA uses in electricity in a whole year!

* A child asked his teacher how much the earth weighed. The teacher told him and then he asked, “With or without people?”

This is what Sovereign means: Possessed of supreme power, unlimited in extent, Absolute

God’s Sovereignty does not take away our free choice! God allows us to flex our free choice and it may appear that we are in control, however, in reality, God controls the “Big Picture.”

Look at it like a ship going from the USA to Europe. You can go anywhere on the ship you desire; the bow, the stern, port side, starboard side, engine room, or the helm. Yet, the ship will still get to Europe!

Proverbs 16:33 The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.

Jonah teaches us some great lessons concerning God’s Sovereignty:   

{1} Something’s are non-negotiable

God knows everything about us and when we will leave this body:

Luke 12:6–7 Aren’t five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten before God. In fact, even the hairs on your head are all numbered. Do not be afraid; you are more valuable than many sparrows.

Job 14:5  Since man’s days are determined, the number of his months is under your control; you have set his limit and he cannot pass it.

Matthew 6:27 And which of you by worrying can add even one hour to his life?

God controls the boundaries of this earth!

Proverbs 8:29 when he gave the sea his decree that the waters should not pass over his command when he marked out the foundations of the earth,

We are not at the mercy of a virus, we are at the mercy of our loving and kind God!

This should produce comfort! We are in control of how we handle this virus…God is in control of the virus!

Be wise, do what you can to be safe, but go to Him and seek His protection.

The So What: I share this true story to encourage you:

In 1874 in Swan Quarter, N.C. a group of believers decided to build a church facility. They began praying and came upon the perfect piece of land. The owner did not like the Church so he said no! So they built on another piece of land up the road. In 1876 a violent storm hit. Afterward, the building was gone. Looking 300 feet down the way, the building was intact, undamaged, a little wet, but set down perfectly on the other piece of property! The owner changed his mind saying, "I am  not one to argue with God."